Houston Astros prospect Mark Saccomanno fulfilled his lifelong dream on September 8, 2008 by putting on a big league uniform for the first time.
The native Houstonian spent his childhood rooting for the Astros and left a memorable impression at Minute Maid Park during his major league debut.
Saccomanno's baseball journey has taken its fair share of bumps and bruises. The six -year minor league veteran established a positive reputation by demonstrating remarkable character, a tremendous work ethic and the willingness to persevere through setbacks.
Originally, Saccomanno was not part of the group of September callups. "During the month of August, I kept dreaming of making my major league debut in my hometown in front of family and friends. It was a nightmare when I learned I wasn't on my way to Houston," Saccomanno said.
Former Astros third baseman Ty Wigginton, who signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles this offseason, suffered a groin injury in early September, prompting the organization to call up Saccomanno from Triple-A Round Rock.
He received the call at 2:30 p.m. to join the team that night for a 7:05 p.m. home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Saccomanno frantically called family and friends to deliver the exciting news and rushed to get ready for a 4:30 p.m. flight from Austin to Houston.
Saccomanno arrived barely before game time and immediately jumped into his Astros' uniform without taking batting practice. Manager Cecil Cooper elected to use Saccomanno as a pinch hitter for starter Alberto Arias in the fifth inning. He nervously approached the plate and faced Pirates' starter Ian Snell in his first Major League at-bat.
Without a blink of an eye, Saccomanno became a household name in the city of Houston after crushing Snell's first offering into the right field bullpen for an opposite field solo home run. He rounded the bases with his father Ed, mother Cissy and former Klein Forest High School teammates cheering from the stands.
"The strength of my game is combining a solid batting average with power. I jumped on Snell's first pitch and drove it to right field. It was strange because at Round Rock, fly balls heading to deep right tend to die in the wind. When I connected on the pitch, I raced out of the batter's box remembering the wind. By the time I rounded first, I hearded the roar of the crowd and realized what had happened," said Saccomanno.
Saccomanno solo blast snapped a scoreless tie and triggered a three-run inning to lead Houston over the Pirates 3-2. He became the fourth player in franchise history to homer in his first career at-bat and the 22nd all-time to homer on the first pitch.
During his September stint, Saccomanno hit .200 (2-for-10) with a homer and two RBIs. He faced Chicago Cubs' right-hander Carlos Zambranoduring the All-Star's no-hitter in the Hurricane Ike makeup game. Saccomanno doubled off Atlanta Braves' James Parr to record his second career hit.
"I love the good, tight battle of a close game, especially in front of a packed house with the home crowd cheering for their team to win. The game is dramatic all the way to the final out," he said.
The Astros re-signed Saccomanno to a minor league deal January 5, 2009 with an invitation to Spring Training as a non-roster player. He showed glimpses of success during the spring, but was reassigned to minor league camp.
Even though Saccomanno expected to start the season in Round Rock, he welcomed the challenge of competing alongside the standout players. Cooper placed him in the same workout group with superstars Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada. Saccomanno took advantage of his opportunity to learn from some of the greatest players in baseball.
"Berkman, Lee and Tejada are great guys. They help you relax, causing your natural ability to shine. What's amazing about a big league clubhouse is how everyone's from different walks of life. For seven months, a collaboration of different personalities develop chemistry and become a second family," Saccomanno said.
Despite developing into an All-Star Triple-A standout, the Astros' organization tends to overlook his consistent productivity. Last season, Saccomanno hit .297 with 27 home runs and 84 RBIs in 528 at-bats for Round Rock. He was named to the 2008 Pacific Coast League All-Star team and cracked the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth to lead the PCL to a 6-2 victory over the International League.
"Several things contribute to success in baseball. Talent, work ethic, coaches and teammates play a critical role. I learned a great deal from J.R. House and Danny Klass. House has a remarkable outlook on the game and Klass makes you a better person," said Saccomanno.
His statistics validate his readiness to play in the majors. Saccomanno has simply outgrown Triple-A and wants to take the next step in his career. However, the Astros' organization fails to recognize the 28-year-old Triple-A superstar as a top-notch prospect.
In a normal circumstance, Saccomanno would likely be the starting first or third baseman for the Houston Astros. Instead, he must compete with Berkman and Darin Erstad on the depth chart at first and Geoff Blum and Jeff Keppinger at third.
Unfortunately, Saccomanno realizes that Berkman will remain the team's starter at first for several more years. Also, Houston tagged Chris Johnson as the future third baseman. For now, Blum and Keppinger will bridge the gap until Johnson improves his weaknesses at Round Rock.
Once again, the Baylor University product finds himself stuck in the minors. At this point, he's done everything to prove he belongs with the Astros. Saccomanno possesses the skills to be a starter in the big leagues. Unless Berkman suffers a lengthy injury, Saccomanno will be looking at his third consecutive season in Round Rock.
"It's definitely a mental grind. You learn to play into your strengths. A baseball player is successful by producing 3-of-10 times at the plate. Everyone fails numerous times playing this challenging game. Ironically, failure is not necessarily a bad thing; instead, it builds character and makes you a better player. One must learn to deal and manage failure in the right way," he said.
Saccomanno grew up in North Houston idolizing Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. "The Biggio/Bagwell era was a special part of the city's history. Both players, including Ozzie Smith, were my favorite players as a kid. Also, my dad has always been a positive baseball influence and continues to teach me how to be successful in life."
He was named Second-Team All-District 16-5A at Klein Forest High School and received the National Scholar Athlete Award. Saccomanno chose to sign with Baylor and emerged as a standout shortstop during his junior year, but suffered a torn labrium in his right shoulder prior to his senior season. He redshirted and returned the following season as a fifth-year senior. The Astros selected him in the 23rd round of the 2003 June amateur draft.
"You have to do a great job of taking care of your body when playing this game. Players wear down easily by not eating right. The season has a way of beating up your body physically and mentally," Saccomanno said.
The Houston Astros represent his childhood and big league experience, but the team he geniunely loves continues to hold up his career. Saccomanno does not want to walk the same path as Kevin Costner's character in Bull Durham as a career minor leaguer.
For the 2009 season, he faces an even greater challenge of making it back to Houston. Currently, Round Rock's roster consists of several top-notch prospects, including Johnson, Brian Bogusevic and Drew Sutton, as well as players with substantial Major League experience.
The Astros' organization has several options at Triple-A barring any circumstance. Once again, Saccomanno could get lost in the shuffle and must continue producing monstrous numbers. Eventually, Houston needs to make a rational decision regarding Saccomanno's future. Realistically, being traded to another organization could be the best thing for his career.
"The decision-making process is not up to me. Ed Wade and his staff already have a challenging job of putting together the best possible team to win. Everyone will always have opinions, but solid players will always give 100 percent and not get caught up in the decisions of an organization," Saccomanno said.
For additional information on the Houston Astros, visit www.examiner.com/x-2910-Houston-Astros-Examiner.
- Login to post comments